Plans to introduce fan voting as part of the Hall of Fame election have been abandoned for this year. Officials say they expect to implement the idea for the Class of 2014.

“We absolutely hope to do it in the future,” said John Doleva, the CEO and president of the Springfield, Mass., basketball museum. “It’s a big priority for the Hall of Fame and for chairman [Jerry] Colangelo. It was just a little more complicated than we thought in terms of execution and getting ready and getting ramped up.”

Officials lined up a media partner, ESPN, to promote the concept. But the Hall did not have important sponsorships in place, prompting the decision to postpone.

“We would love to find a corporation to get behind this and support it through their media and help them sell product,” Doleva said. “It’s one of those things when you think about it, they’d be able to impact the vote and to get chatter going back and forth about the finalists and ‘Should this person be in? Should that person be in?’ I think there’s a lot of value there. We’re hoping to, in 2014, definitely do that.”

Under the working plan, the anonymous voters selected by the Hall — basketball officials, former players and/or coaches, athletic directors, media — would still decide the finalists. Mass participation would begin once that list is revealed at All-Star weekend in February, with fans part of the second layer of balloting that decides enshrinement later that summer. The top three finishers would get one additional vote toward the final decision, providing a 25th chance to get the 18 votes needed for induction rather than the current model of 18 from 24 electors.

That Hall proposal would give fans a strong voice, possibly the difference between election and disappointment, without the level of influence some consider would turn the process into a popularity contest along the lines of choosing the All-Star starters. The public could not have a great impact without a sizable support from basketball insiders.

22 Comments

@ first i’d say it’s a good idea w/ fans getting to vote for potential hall of famers. Then again even more people might end up getting in before other more/well deserving players from years ago that should already be in like Bernard King-hopefully he’ll get in this year. I don’t know, it could go either way w/ fan vote being a good idea or not.

While we’re making changes, why not change the All-Star game till after the regular season right before the playoffs or at the least late into the season. That way coaches aren’t picking reserves based on just 30 or so games played out of 82-game season. Follow the NFL. Of course, fans will still vote for the popular guys no matter if it’s 30 or 82 games played so I’m just writing on behalf of the reserve selections.

As for fans getting a HOF vote, good idea in principle but let’s see how it plays out when the vote really counts and we either vote-in or vote-out a potential Hal of Famer.

Did half of you actually read the entire post? Allowing the fans to vote will not put undeserving players in the HOF. The fans could vote a “nobody player” to the #1 spot, but that player would only have 1 of the 18 total votes needed for enshrinement. The NBA has reached the current level of popularity due in large part to fan interaction and entertainment. So yes, it is about the money…..that was stated pretty clearly in the post.

Of course it’s all about the money and you better be thankful for that you fools. Thats his job. He’s gettin’ the green stuff so that the they can bring us the good stuff. Thats how the world works. Grow up guys.

If this happens, you can pretty much guarantee every laker will be a hall of fame candidate. Too many imbeciles that know nothing but what they are fed through espn and nba.com will be placing their votes for popular (laker) players. Don’t let this happen.

This is just a horrible idea. Although I consider myself part of the informed basketball populace, I do not believe that I should be able to pick whoever I want to be in the Hall of Fame. Most current basketball fans do not know who half the candidates are.

On another point, Stern actually played no part in this decision and neither did, nor would, Adam Silver. Though, I could see either of them trying their hardest to have some influence on the matter. The thing about the HOF is that it’s the BASKETBALL HOF, and not the NBA HOF.

I agree with the comments before mine. David Stern has, in many ways, shapes, and forms, proven his priority is “the almighty dollar.” I’m incredibly disheartened to hear that his blatant consumerism and disregard for the purity of sport is bleeding over into the Hall of Fame.

Prepare yourselves for the impending inductions of “that guy with the sparkliest sneakers” or “dude who had the flattest flat-top I ever seen.”